


your heart is a masterpiece

by philindas



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, At Melinda's Mother's House, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, The Avengers Help Daisy Heal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-07-18 21:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7331578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/philindas/pseuds/philindas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Melinda finds Daisy trying to run away in the middle of the night, she realizes the younger girl will never truly heal while still at the base. So she makes the decision to take Daisy away somewhere secluded to heal, and brings in the help of the Avengers to help the world's newest superhero deal with the loss she still feels deeply. The process is harder than she imagined when she herself comes to realize she has things she's never healed from either.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So this is quite the undertaking, and I wanted to post it before I chickened out- the first chapter is more of a prologue, hence why it's rather short, but next chapter will dive right into Melinda's mom meeting Daisy and Melinda realizing there's a lot of healing to be done. I'm really, really excited about this fic, mostly because I'm trash for Daisy/the Avengers (also Melinda/the Avengers). Title is from I'll Keep You Safe by Sleeping at Last.

She’s nearly packed when her door opens, and she freezes- it’s nearly three in the morning; no one else should be awake.

“Going somewhere?” May’s voice is soft, but it doesn’t hide the hurt in it, and Daisy swallows, turning around slowly.

“I can’t stay here,” she whispers, and May regards her for a few moments before she steps forward.

“Then I’ll take you somewhere,” she replies quietly, hands folded in front of her. “We’ll leave after everyone knows where we’ve gone, and I’ve made a call. You don’t have to run off in the middle of the night, Daisy.”

Daisy deflates, nodding, and May gives her a ghost of a smile before she leaves the room, leaving Daisy wondering where exactly she was going to take her.

_

Melinda’s just getting off the phone when Phil walks into the room, and she rubs at the tension headache gathering at her temples; Phil’s hands are warm and gentle on her back as he comes to stand behind her, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’m taking Daisy to my mother’s,” she murmurs, feeling Phil’s movements pause at her words. She turns to face him, tired. “She tried to run away. She can’t heal here, not when there are memories of Lincoln everywhere. Maybe my mother can help her.”

“How long will you be gone?” Phil asks, and Melinda shrugs, reaching for his hands.

“I don’t know if there’s a way I can honestly answer that question,” she answers, letting him pull her into a standing position, one hand on her waist. “There’s a lot of damage there, Phil.”

Phil just looks at her, his own eyes tired, before he nods, pulling her into a hug. She buries her face in his neck, breathing him in; this relationship between them is new and different, and it kills her to leave him when they’ve just started. But Daisy needs her, and Phil will be waiting when they came back.

And maybe, part of her would be healed by this trip too.

_

“Where are we going?” Daisy asked for the fourth time, and Melinda sighed, turning onto the off ramp.

“I’m taking you to my mother’s,” she finally answered after having ignored the first three questions, and Daisy stopped, turning to look at her with wide eyes.

“Your _mother’s_?” she asked, incredulous, and Melinda simply nodded, turning left and heading for the turn off to her mother’s property. “Why are you taking me here?”

“Because you’re angry, and hurting, and you can’t heal at the Playground,” Melinda answers after a moment, the recycled air of the ac the only other sound. “My mother is good at making you answer questions you’d never intentionally answer otherwise. I think you might need that.”

Daisy folds her arms over her chest, sullen, and Melinda knows she’s right. The rest of the drive is silent as Daisy broods, and when Melinda pulls up to the two-mile long driveway hidden in brush, the younger girl has fallen asleep, head pressed against the window. Melinda allows her lips to curl into a small smile as she pulls up to the old farmhouse, parking the car and rubbing at her tired eyes.

She leaves Daisy for a moment and brings their bags into the house; her mother would be back later that night, and she’d directed Melinda to place the younger girl in the green guest room, near the back of the house with a view of the yard. She set Daisy’s bags in the room before she placed her own stuff in her childhood bedroom, lips curling into a smile at the fresh lilies on her desk.

When she returned to the car to rouse Daisy, the brunette was grumpy and a grouch, so Melinda simply led her to her room and helped her into bed, tucking the covers of her and watching the younger woman easily fall back to sleep. She watched over Daisy for a moment before she slipped out of the room, closing the door silently and heading back to her room.

She unpacked herself fairly quickly; the picture Phil had given her of them finding its way onto her bedside table beside her phone and the journal she intended to keep. She doesn’t even hesitate before she picks up her phone, hitting the first speed dial and waiting.

“You got there safe?” Phil asks the moment he picks up, and she smiles softly, settling with her back against the pillows.

“We did. Daisy’s asleep in her room; Mom should be home in an hour or so,” she replies, picking at a loose thread in the bedspread before she looked out the window. “The weather’s beautiful out here. I always forget.”

“I miss you already,” Phil admits softly, and Melinda swallows, holding the phone harder against her ear.

“I know,” she murmurs, chewing on her lower lip. “Maybe you can come visit, in a few weeks. Once Daisy has had a chance to heal a little; get used to what life outside SHIELD is like again.”

“You’ll tell me when she’s ready. When you’re ready,” Phil responds simply, and she ducks her head because god she’s never been with someone who knows her like Phil knows her.

“Remember to eat at least two meals a day, and you cannot fall asleep with the television on, and don’t forget your morning meds,” Melinda says after a moment, clearing her throat, and she can practically hear Phil’s amused smile on the other end. “You should try to check in with Bobbi and Hunter- Nat’s been in contact with them, so talk with her. Oh, and kill Radcliffe’s stupid AI idea before it gains momentum, we don’t need another Stark-wannabee on our hands.”

“Everything will be fine, Lin,” Phil replies, his voice full of fondness that clogs her throat with emotion. “When you’re ready, just call me. I’ll be here.”

“Be safe,” she murmurs, and he echoes the soft sentiment back before they both hang up. Melinda powers her phone off before setting it in her bedside table, shutting the drawer and picking up the journal. The slim blue book had been from Jemma- the scientist had told her that maybe writing about their time at her mother’s house would be beneficial; and would maybe help her to realize when it was time to come home.

She cracks open the book, picking up the pen and taking a breath, the black tip hovering over the page. After a moment she wrote the date in the top right corner, clearing her throat, before she started writing.

_It’s Tuesday. Daisy is asleep, and Mom isn’t home yet. I’d forgotten how blue the sky is out here…_


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lian May meets Daisy Johnson and it's just as beautiful as you'd expect it to be ft a phone call with Black Widow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! I'm sorry for a bit of a delay getting this chapter out- I had a muse that abandoned me, then I got third degree sunburns/sun poisoning, and overall life's been a bit of a disaster. Thank you so much for being patient, and your comments on the first chapter meant the absolute world to me, you have no idea. I'll reply to them after I sleep and go to work, you're all my favorite, and please enjoy this chapter!

Melinda starts at the sound of a car in the driveway; she’d been dozing in the warmth of the sun on the back deck, but at the sound of her mother’s old Jeep, she stretches, frowning at the ache in her lower back before she stands. She makes her way back into the kitchen, meeting her mother at the front door; Lian May’s hands are full of groceries, but she still gives her daughter a small smile before she shoves them into her hands and heads back outside to get more.

She sets the backs on the counter and begins to unpack them; fresh fruits and vegetables pile on the table, and when her mother comes in and deposits more bags, pastas and herbs and seasonings and eggs and milk and cream join the items on the counter. Melinda raises an eyebrow when her mother brings in the final bag- this one has chocolate and lemon cookies and an assortment of cake mixes and frostings, which Melinda rolls her eyes fondly at.

“Are you planning on feeding an army, Mama?” she asks before she leans into her mother, wrapping her arms around her and breathing in the familiar scent of oranges and dryer sheets. Her mother holds her tightly- it’s been too long between visits, with Hive and the disaster that was her second attempt with her ex and trying to keep SHIELD running. But she was home, and her mother had gotten the ingredients of all her favorite meals, and she felt like she could breathe again.

“I have a feeling I will be feeding more than just the two of you soon, Qiaolian,” is her mother’s soft reply as they part, and Melinda gives a soft sigh in response, opening the fridge to start putting things away. “How is Phillip?”

“He’s good,” Melinda answers with a tiny smile that Lian notices, merely raising an eyebrow at her daughter until Melinda softens, straightening the cream on the shelf. “We’ve started seeing each other. In a non-professional capacity.”

“That boy moves slowly. I thought you would have gotten together when you got on that plane of his,” is Lian’s only response with a small headshake; she squeeze’s Melinda’s hand in passing. “As long as you are happy, Melinda.”

“He makes me very happy, Mama,” is all Melinda can get out before her throat closes up, and she swallows, busying herself with putting the lettuce in the crisper.

Together, they put away the groceries, save for the ingredients for a stir-fry for dinner, which Lian starts- she has Melinda chop the peppers and onions while she browns the chicken, a bottle of red wine open on the counter and three glasses.

“You should go wake your Daisy,” Lian says as she adds the peppers and onions to the pan. “It is almost time to eat.”

Melinda slips away easily after taking another sip of wine, padding up the stairs to the room Daisy was in; she eases the door open quietly, knowing its tendency to creak when pushed too hard. The younger woman is curled up with her back to the door, covers up to her ears, just a tangle of brunette hair peeking out from underneath. She can’t help the soft smile at the sight of her as she comes to sit on the edge of the bed, gently shaking Daisy’s shoulder.

“Daisy, it’s time to get up,” she murmured softly, her touch light as she roused the girl. Daisy mumbled sleepily, shifting around, a slight quaking starting as the last grip of sleep left her. She blinked hazy brown eyes open, squinting a little in confusion.

“May?” she asked, and Melinda nodded, finger soothing over her shoulder gently. “When did we get to your mother’s house?”

“A few hours ago,” she answered as the brunette sat up, rubbing the debris of sleep from her eyes. “You fell asleep in the car and never really woke up when I brought you in.”

“I haven’t been sleeping much,” Daisy admitted quietly, and Melinda squeezed her arm gently at that.

“Mom’s almost done with dinner. Bathroom’s right across the hall if you want to freshen up a bit. Be downstairs in five,” Melinda tells her, squeezing her knee before she stands, leaving the brunette to collect herself.

Lian has Melinda set the table when she gets back downstairs; they use the less formal kitchen table rather than the dining room, and she lights a few candles on the counter when she finished. The smell of chicken and peppers and onions and her mom’s seasonings fills the room, and she fills her wine glass a little more as she feels the tension leave her shoulders for the first time in months.

“It is good to have you home, qiānjīn,” her mother murmurs as she brings their plates to the table, touching her wrist softly. Melinda softens at the pet name as she settles in her seat; they both look up at the sound of steps on the stairs, and Daisy comes into view, her hair brushed and in a low ponytail, face free of makeup and a sweatshirt Melinda is fairly certain was Lincoln’s on.

She seems to pause for a second, but before Melinda can speak Lian steps forward, extending a hand towards Daisy.

“You must be Daisy,” Lian says, features softer than Melinda’s seen them in a long time. “I have heard a lot about you, dear. I’m very pleased to finally meet you.”

“May- May told you about me?” Daisy said, clearly caught off-guard by that fact as she shakes Lian’s hand, looking at Melinda with wide eyes. Lian nods, guiding the young woman towards her seat where her glass of wine already waited.

“She’s told me about all of you- your Fitz and Simmons, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Triplett- the new ones as well, the very fast one and the one who can melt bullets. And your Lincoln, of course,” Lian’s voice softens with the latter mention, and Daisy swallows, lips quirking into a half smile before she ducks her head, reaching for her wine and taking a large gulp. “I hope you like to eat, I made a lot.”

Melinda smiles into her wine as Daisy picks up her fork; her first few bites are tentative, but once she realizes Lian’s cooking is significantly more refined than Melinda’s, her plate is clean in no time. Melinda and Lian are slower, and when Daisy’s eyes dart towards the pan, Lian waves at her.

“Eat, eat- I intend to put some meat on those bones of yours, Qiaolian must not be feeding you enough,” she says, and Daisy almost giggles, swallowing the sound as she walks towards the stove.

“I feed her plenty, Mama,” Melinda retorts, spearing a piece of pepper onto her fork, nibbling on the end. “We eat enough take out for a small school.”

“Elena has the metabolism of seven pro football players, so that doesn’t really count,” Daisy comments, settling back in her seat with a heaping plate. Lian raises an amused eyebrow and Daisy blushes, reaching for her fork. “It’s an Inhuman thing.”

Lian manages to pull a few more laughs from Daisy while they eat- a few at the expense of Melinda, telling a few childhood stories that brings a genuine smile to the younger woman’s face. It’s worth the embarrassment of her first crush being re-lived to see the light come back in Daisy’s eyes, even briefly.

“Alright Melinda, you wash. Daisy, you dry,” Lian commands easily as they rise from the table, gathering their plates. Melinda pushes up the sleeves of her shirt and starts the water, plugging the drain and squeezing the green apple dish soap onto the sponge, blowing a few bubbles in Daisy’s direction, drawing a small laugh from the girl when one touched her nose.

Lian bustles about the kitchen, putting away the wine and the placemats. She disappears into the living room while Melinda and Daisy finish the dishes; Melinda hums under her breath, some old Chinese lullaby her mother used to sing to her, and Daisy shoots glances at her. She just smiles, nudging shoulders with her before she hands her another clean dish to dry.

When they finish, Melinda guides Daisy towards the family room, where Lian has an assortment of photo albums, and Melinda groans low in her throat. “Mama, the first night? Really?”

“Oh my god am I about to see May’s naked baby butt?” Daisy looks nearly gleeful at the idea of it.

“Not tonight,” Lian says, patting the seat beside her for Daisy to sit as Melinda leans in the doorway. “Tonight, I wanted to show you some of her skating pictures.”

Melinda straightens a bit at that- Daisy’s nose crinkles as she takes the book from Lian, eyes widening.

“May you figured skated?” Daisy asks, surprised, and Melinda nodded from her position at the door. “Wow, I never knew that.”

“Her father and I were very proud,” Lian says, pointing to a picture of the three of them- Melinda was barely up to their elbows, a bright red ribbon around her neck proudly displaying second place, a beaming grin on her face tiny face. Lian and William May weren’t looking at the camera, too enraptured with their daughter, and Daisy’s finger comes up to trace along the edge of them, lips parted.

“You all look so happy,” she murmurs, something sad shifting over her face, and Melinda’s chest twists at the reminder that Daisy had never had that growing up. She liked to think Daisy had that now- a family that loved and supported and wanted her, but she didn’t know what went through the brunette’s mind these days.

“We were,” is Lian’s simple answer before she flips the page; Melinda’s aged a little more in these photos, almost a teenager- skinny and awkward with the worst haircut in the history of haircuts, but the grace of her movements is evident even in photographs.

Melinda leaves her mother and Daisy to the photos, heading upstairs to her room and pulling her phone out. She scrolls through her contacts until she finds who she’s looking for and clicks the call button, holding the phone to her ear. It rings twice before it’s picked up, a pause and an inhale before the answer.

“What’s up, Mel?” Natasha Romanoff asks as Melinda sits at her desk chair, wincing at the squeaky wheel she’d never gotten around to fixing.

“How busy are the Avengers right now?” she asked, and when Natasha gives an undignified snort, she can picture the redhead on a balcony somewhere warm, feet up on the railing and a tumbler of expensive vodka in her free hand.

“Given the fact that the world wants us gone, not much,” the Russian answers before she takes a drink of something. “Why, what’s up?”

“I need some help,” she replies, taking a breath. “In the aftermath of the alien- Hive- we lost one of our newer Inhuman agents, Lincoln Campbell. Daisy- he and Daisy were together, and she’s taking his death hard. This is the second man she’s loved to die because of her in her eyes, and I’m worried. I caught her trying to run away, so I took her to Mom’s…”

Melinda trails off, chewing her lip, but before she can continue, Natasha speaks softly.

“Your superhero’s having a hard time adjusting to the superhero life, sounds like,” there’s a small, sad quality to her voice, and Melinda sighs. “Your mom have space for nine?”

Melinda lets out a chuckle, amusement in her tone. “Some of you may have to crash on the floor, but there’s space. And food- Mom must have bought out Whole Foods with how many groceries we put away today.”

“It’ll be good to see you again, May,” Natasha says- and it will be. They haven’t been face to face since Phil’s fake funeral that hadn’t felt fake at all; the news of SHIELD and Phil being alive had been broken by Fury, and they’d only had phone contact for the last few months. She’d missed her redheaded charge- she’d been one of her finest trainees, and she couldn’t be prouder of the former Russian operative.

“You too, Nat,” Melinda replies softly, lips curled into a smile. “Try to land in the back lawn, away from the tulips. Mom’s particularly proud of them this year.”

She hangs up to the sound of Natasha’s laugh, and a weight off her shoulders. Tomorrow, the Avengers would land in her mother’s backyard. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a journey of healing for the girl downstairs with her mother, bottling up the hurt and loss she’d been dealt by life. Tomorrow would be day one.

And tomorrow was the day she was fairly certain Daisy would start to hate Melinda for dragging her to the middle of nowhere to deal with the turmoil inside the younger girl she cared about so deeply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> qiānjīn = darling (daughter)


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers arrive, Daisy is mildly starstruck, and Melinda begins to open up to Natasha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with me guys! I'm sorry I can't really stick to a regular posting schedule, but I'm nearing completion on one of my other wip fics, so hopefully updates will be a little more frequent! Next chapter is when the nitty-gritty Daisy conversations start- each chapter will focus on a different Avenger talking with her, and Melinda. I hope you enjoy!

The low rumbling of a jet engine alerts Melinda to the arrival of their visitors.

Daisy looks up from the puzzle Lian had spread out on the coffee table, frowning a little at the noise. Lian barely reacts, just slots two more puzzle pieces together. “What is that?”

“The Avengers,” Lian answers before Melinda can, picking up a piece to examine it further. “Go greet them, Qiaolian.”

“You called the Avengers?” Daisy asks, lips parted in disbelief. Melinda shrugs, standing up and putting her journal aside.

Natasha’s managed to land the jet decently close to the house; the ramp is lowering as Melinda steps outside. She makes it about halfway before a blur of red shoots down the ramp and tackles her; it’s only her impressive balance that keeps them from falling over. She hugs Natasha back tightly, rubbing the younger woman’s back- her red hair is longer than she remembers and loose around her shoulders, and she’s dressed casually in jeans and a green shirt.

“You look great, Mel,” the Russian says as they part, tugging at the hem of her loose gray button-down lightly. “Ready to meet the team? I don’t think you know everyone yet.”

Tugging her towards the group descending the ramp, Natasha starts pointing and talking.

“Obviously you know Maria already, Clint’s in there somewhere, and everyone knows Stark,” Tony rolls his eyes at that, but shakes Melinda’s hand, lips quirking in a half smile. “And that’s Steve, clearly- and Bruce is hiding behind him.”

Steve’s handshake is firmer than she’s expecting, and there’s a sad look in his eyes as he greets her, but he gives her a smile, and she returns it before she moves onto Bruce- the scientist’s smile is bright, but he still looks nervous. A shorter girl with brunette hair and dressed in red comes forward next, and Melinda knows who she is before Natasha introduces her.

“Wanda Maximoff, one of our new recruits- and Sam Wilson, right behind her,” Wanda just nods to her, lips in a shadow of a smile, while Sam shakes her hand, an easy smile on his lips.

“Pleasure to meet you ma’am,” he says, and there’s warmth in his voice. “Nat’s told me about you, it’s an honor.”

“What I do is nothing compared to what you all do,” Melinda replies modestly, and this time it’s Steve that scoffs, Tony not far behind.

“Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve been ruining an underground agency for the last three years and keeping the world safe in ways we can’t even imagine. That’s pretty damn impressive to me,” Steve argues, crossing his arms over his chest. They all turn at the sound of footsteps on the ramp, and the final member of the party descends. Melinda swallows a little at the sight of Thor, right there in her mother’s backyard. Even fifty year olds have their crushes.

“There he is- Mel, this is Thor, the god of thunder and sleeping through plane rides,” Natasha answers, and Thor snorts, shaking his head in amusement as he saluted to Melinda.

“Thank you all for coming,” Melinda addresses them before she looks over her shoulder where she’s sure Daisy is trying to peak through her mother’s curtains discreetly. “There are a few guest rooms, but mostly there’s free space in the living room for you all to crash. My mother will cook- well, I might add- and there is plenty of booze in the bar. Daisy didn’t know you were coming, but I think you can help her.”

“We’ll do whatever we can,” it’s Tony’s voice that speaks up, and she’s honestly a little surprised at it; from Phil’s recounts of his time with Tony, he’d been rather immature. But the years- and experiences he’d had over the course of them- had clearly forced the younger man to grow up. Melinda thought it was a rather good look on him.

She leads them inside; Natasha darts inside first, clearly looking for Lian, Maria catches up to Melinda and touches her arm, smiling at her. “How’s Coulson?”

“He’s good- working with some of our newer recruits,” Melinda answered, lips curling into a smile. “He may come out, in a couple of weeks. I’m sure he’d love to see you.”

“Well all our schedules are clear for the next three weeks,” Maria replies simply, shrugging. “We’re staying until your girl is ready to leave.”

Melinda can’t hide her smile at that, chest filled to the brim with warmth as she squeezes the other woman’s arm. Lian and Natasha are separating when they walk into the living room, and Daisy has a dazed look in her face, standing slightly off to the side.

Her eyes widen at the assortment of people filing into the spacious room; Maria finds Lian as Steve goes over to introduce himself to the young woman.

“Oh my god you’re Captain America,” Daisy says as she shakes his hand, and Steve gives her a soft smile, nodding. “Coulson’s gonna flip.”

Steve’s smile grows at that, and Daisy’s cheeks flush a little. “Just call me Steve. Cap is too formal.”

Daisy’s lips part, and then Thor speaks up, distracting her.

“Agent May, you did not tell us your charge was your daughter,” he says, and Melinda freezes a little, Daisy doing the same. There’s a collective moment of silence before Melinda clears her throat.

“She’s not my daughter. I’m just- or rather, I was her SO,” she corrects, avoiding Daisy’s gaze. An awkward sort of tension fills the room, and Lian’s the one who breaks it.

“The girls shall sleep upstairs. Boys, divide the floor,” she says, and Natasha, Maria, and Wanda follow her upstairs while Melinda disappears in the kitchen, leaving Daisy with the boys. She’s pulling out the ingredients for burgers when her mother appears in the doorway, just quietly watching. Melinda swallows against the lump that’s somehow found its way into her throat, hands faltering slightly as her vision blurs. “Melinda.”

“I accepted a long time ago that I’d never have more than what I do now,” she says quietly, tucking her hair behind her ear as she keeps her gaze on the lettuce. “And I’m happy. Or at least as happy as I can be right now- happier than I have been for years. But sometimes I want what I wished for all those years ago. And Daisy is…”

She trails off, unable to finish the sentence. Yes, she wished she could call Daisy her daughter. She was smart and witty and loving and everything Melinda once saw in herself, all those years ago. She looks at her and sees the life she almost had with Andrew- the life she’d wanted once upon a time with Phil. She loved Daisy; she’d never been just another trainee to Melinda. But Daisy had had a mother, and a father, and they weren’t her and Phil. No matter how much they both wished they had been.

Lian doesn’t answer, and for that Melinda’s grateful. She goes to gather drinks, and Sam appears in the doorway.

“Steve got the grill going,” he says, and Melinda hands him the platter of burgers and hot dogs. “I don’t like to brag, but I can grill a mean burger.”

“I’ll stick to the salad,” Melinda replies with a small smile, and Sam laughs as he exits the kitchen. Nat comes down the stairs not long after, hoping up on the counter and accepting the beer Lian pulls from the fridge for her with a grin.

“You always get my favorite, I love coming here,” she knocks her bottle against Lian’s glass of lemonade before she tags a drag, sighing happily. “So that was awkward.”

“Let’s not talk about it,” Melinda cuts her off before she can continue. She hears Daisy’s laugh filter in through the living room and her shoulders loosen, face softening. Natasha studies her for a moment over the rim of her bottle.

“You’re more than just her SO,” she states while Melinda starts chopping cucumbers to toss in the salad. “It’s evident how much you care about her, Mel. You don’t do this for just anyone.”

“Of course I care about her,” Melinda replied softly, eyes on the vegetables in front of her. “She’s been an important part of our lives for the past three years. I’ve watched her grow and change and mature from the young girl who thought the world was black and white to the young, smart, sharp woman in there.”

“You should tell her that,” Natasha nudges softly, and Melinda shakes her head, grabbing a few tomatoes to dice.

“She doesn’t need to hear it right now,” she replies, unable to stop the sad half-smile that quirks her lips. “Maybe one day I’ll be able to tell her and have her believe it. But not right now.”

Natasha frowns, but Melinda’s firm, and eventually the redhead disappears into the living room with her beer, leaving Melinda and Lian to finish prepping. They’re nearly done with Daisy steps into the room, and Lian disappears into the living room with a tray of drinks.

Melinda disappears into the fridge, searching for dressings. Daisy hops up onto the counter that Natasha had just vacated, legs dangling as Melinda brings her a beer.

“So. You called the Avengers,” Daisy says, and Melinda nods. “For me.”

“You’re a superhero,” Melinda answers after a moment, spreading Italian dressing over the bowl of salad. “They’re superheroes. I figured you could talk to someone who understands what you’re going through. More so than I can.”

Daisy’s gaping at her when she looks up at her, dark eyes unreadable. “You…did that for me?”

“I was your SO once,” Melinda answers, picking up the bowl of salad to put on the picnic table out back. “I like to think I know what you need.”

She doesn’t wait for Daisy to answer, just carries the salad out to the deck, where someone- Natasha and Maria, she’s assuming- have erected a volleyball net. Wanda’s hitting the ball with blasts of scarlet light to serve it over the net, while Tony yells that she’s cheating and Sam laughs his ass off at Clint trying to hit the ball and missing.

She can’t help the quirk of a smile the crosses her lips as she sits next to Steve at the table. He smiles at her, shifting over the make more room for her. “Your mother has a nice place.”

“She always wanted to retire in style,” Melinda replies in amusement, taking a sip of her beer. “It’s nice and quiet out here. I think she always assumed she’d have grandkids to spoil, which is why she made it with so many rooms.”

“Not too late for that,” Steve replies easily, and Melinda looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “Nat told me you and Phil have started seeing each other.”

“It’s new,” Melinda answers, and Steve shakes his head fondly at her.

“Are you really sure about that?” he asks, and Melinda ducks her head at that, smile widening a little. “You know he told me about you. On the helicarrier, when we met the first time.”

“He did?” she asks, head shooting up to look at him. Steve nods, thumb brushing along the mouth of his beer.

“He mentioned his partner a few times, but Tony’d never mentioned him having a partner when Fury was having him babysat a few years back,” he starts, and Melinda’s face softens.

“Once upon a time Phil wanted me to be a part of that,” she tells him, and Steve’s eyebrows raise in interest. She shrugs, dropping her gaze. “Then the Bahrain mission happened and I left the field.”

“Well, he mentioned his partner enough that Tony asked- all Phil could do was talk about how he missed working with you,” Steve says, and Melinda swallows. “I know Pepper had mentioned a cellist, but I’ve never seen Phil light up like he did when he talked about you. That man’s been in love with you a lot longer than a few weeks.”

Melinda can’t help the small smile that graces her face, finally meeting Steve’s gaze. “It’s been a lot longer than a few weeks for me too. It just feels new. To be able to express it.”

Steve leans over to cover her hand with his, blue eyes warm, and Melinda doesn’t shudder at the touch the way she would have only months ago.

She thinks this is what they mean by progress.

_

After dinner and a few rounds of volleyball- and Thor being disqualified for his rather aggressive spiking tactics- the party spills inside, and Maria gravitates directly towards the television, opening up Lian’s rather impressive DVD collection.

There’s a rather spirited debate about what movie to watch- Natasha eventually breaks the tie by sticking The Princess Bride in the DVD player, and Melinda rolls her eyes in amusement at the groan from all the men except Sam.

The girls took the couch and the boys were scattered across the floor and leaning against the couch. Lian and Melinda were in both of the arm chairs, and Daisy was settled on the floor in front of Melinda’s chair. Melinda doesn’t really pay attention to the movie; she pays more attention to Daisy’s reactions. It’s late, and collectively the group quiets about halfway through.

When the movie finishes, Lian, Maria, and Wanda disappear upstairs- it takes Melinda a moment to realize Daisy is asleep, and she softens, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. Natasha watches from where she has her head resting against Steve’s knee, lips curled into a smirk.

“She’s not my daughter, no matter how much I want her to be,” Melinda states softly without looking at her, fingers stroking through Daisy’s hair as she slept. “I’m not her mother.”

Natasha doesn’t answer, just shrugs, before she stands, pulling Steve up with her. They leave the two of them just as Daisy starts to stir.

Melinda’s hand drops from her hair before the younger woman’s eyes even open.


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony takes Daisy for a drive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I...absolutely did not mean for such a long gap between chapters. This one is rather short, but I have the rest of the chapters planned out, so hopefully there won't be as long of a wait!

Melinda wakes to the first strains of sunlight coming through the curtains- she shivers, missing the warmth of Phil beside her in the sheets, and she closes her eyes briefly. The urge to call him wells inside her, but she knows she needs her focus to be here, on Daisy, so she locks the urge away and gets out of bed.

She’s leaving her room, tugging her hair up into a ponytail, when she runs into Natasha, who beams.

“Doing tai chi?” she asks, and when Melinda nods, the redhead pulls her own hair up into a ponytail. “I’ll join you.”

The living room is flooded with early morning sun, and together they push the couch off to the side, giving them room to move. Melinda starts slow when Natasha admits it’s been awhile, and they move in silence, matching their breathing. They’ve just finished the first movement when Maria and Wanda appear, and silently, they join them, Maria next to Nat and Wanda settling in beside Melinda.

The younger woman’s movements are a little clumsier, and Melinda purposefully slows, showing her the proper way to plant her feet and how to shift her hips with the stances. Wanda catches on quickly, and she gives Melinda a small smile when she catches her eye- it’s so reminiscent of Daisy when she first started joining Melinda, and it twists her heart a little in her chest.

It’s strange but comfortable; the sound of four people breathing in unison, movements slow and calming, and Melinda lets herself sink into it like she would a warm bath. Her eyes close, and the flow of each sequence settles in her bones, peace lining her stomach as the sun warms the air around them, and the scent of frying bacon and brewing coffee filters in through from the kitchen.

When they finish, Natasha’s stomach rumbles, and she tugs down her ponytail, swishing out her crimson locks.

“I forget how hungry that always makes me,” she says as she leads the four of them to the kitchen; Lian is at the stove, Steve dutifully cracking eggs open for her at her left, and Bruce cutting up fruit on her right. Tony’s already halfway through a mug of coffee, flicking through a newspaper on his tablet; he looks up when they enter, raising an eyebrow.

“Have you started a cult, Ms. May?” he asks, and Melinda snorts, taking the mug of tea Steve hands her with a quirk of a smile.

“If you’re going to be formal, it’s Agent,” she tells him, arching an eyebrow- the look on her face draws a laugh from Tony. “But please, just May, if you don’t want to call me Melinda.”

“Qiaolian, go wake your Daisy. It is breakfast time, and she has a big day,” Lian looks up from what she’s cooking, and Melinda nods. She hears her mother direct Sam to put bagels in the toaster, and her lips curve into a smile as she heads up the stairs, passing Clint who touches her shoulder briefly in greeting.

Daisy is curled up with her back to the door when Melinda enters her room after knocking softly, and Melinda’s touch is gentle as she shakes her shoulder. “Time to get up, Daisy. Breakfast is nearly ready.”

Daisy’s face twists into a frown as she broaches consciousness, shifting under the covers and groaning before she opens her eyes. “It feels early.”

“It’s a little before eight,” Melinda answers, unable to help the soft chuckle at Daisy’s loud, repeated groan. “Up, or you won’t get any food.”

She leaves Daisy to freshen up and returns to the group in kitchen- Thor had joined them, and Melinda settles into the seat between Tony and Maria. The Avengers chatter around her as her mother places plate after plate on the table- Daisy shuffles down a few minutes later, and Steve is out of his seat and holding her chair for her in an instant. Daisy flushes, ducking her head a little as she sank into her seat, and Lian instantly had a cup of coffee heavy with sugar and lightened with milk in front of her before the girl can say a word.

Maria and Natasha talk across the table about going on an exploratory hike of the nearby forest- Sam and Steve are quick to offer to join them, while Lian informs Clint there was space to do some archery, if he so chose, to which he lit up. Wanda and Thor both said they’d join him, and Bruce offered to help Lian around the house however she needed.

Tony leaned forward, elbow on the table as he pointed as Daisy. She looked up from her toast, pausing mid-chew as she pointed to herself, raising an eyebrow in question.

“You. Me. We’re gonna take a drive,” he tells her, and there’s not much of a choice in his tone, so Daisy looks at Melinda a little helplessly before she finishes chewing and swallows.

“Okay. Can I shower first?” she asked, and Tony nodded before turning back to his food, shoveling more eggs in his mouth.

“This is exquisite, Mrs. May,” he tells her, and Lian merely smirked, putting another strip of bacon on his plate. Breakfast finished with clean plates and a group of stuffed superheroes, causing Melinda’s lips to quirk into a smirk.

“Melinda, wash. Mr. Stark, dry,” Lian directs, and Melinda shakes her head fondly as she rolls her sleeves up and starts the water.

Lian guides the rest of the Avengers back to the living room as Daisy scoots upstairs to shower, and Tony brings dishes over for Melinda to wash.

“So your mom is something else,” he starts conversationally, and Melinda chuckles, low in her throat. “It takes a certain kind of woman to cook breakfast for the Avengers and have food left over.”

Melinda merely smirks, and Tony starts drying the dishes she’s staked for him.

“I have to say, I cannot remember the last time I physically washed dishes myself,” he comments, and Melinda raises an eyebrow.

“It builds character,” she deadpans, and Tony lets out an actual laugh, setting a dry dish aside.

“How did Coulson never tell us about you?” he asks, and Melinda swallows, gaze dropping to her hands in the soapy water.

“I was a different person when he worked with you,” she answers softly, and Tony frowns. “We weren’t partners, then. I’d shut myself away after Bahrain. I was supposed to be his partner when he babysat you, but I couldn’t be in the field. I left him.”

“Not for long,” Tony replies, and Melinda’s lips quirk at that.

“I’ve never been able to stay away from him for long,” she admits, voice not much more than a whisper. Tony’s hand is soft on her shoulder, and she looks up.

“Agent’s pretty lucky to have a woman like you love him,” Tony tells her, giving her a small smile, and her returning smile is genuine.

_

 “Do you normally keep this nice of a car on your jet?” Daisy asks, a stroke of awe in her voice as Tony pulls out of the driveway.

“Only on Tuesdays,” he answers, and Daisy snorts, settling back into her seat.

“So where are you taking me?” she asks, and Tony shrugs.

“I’ve never been to Pennsylvania. Figured we’d enjoy the scenery,” he answers. Daisy raised an eyebrow. “And we’re gonna talk. One superhero to another.”

“I’m not a superhero,” Daisy replies, voice soft- she looks out the window at the trees flying past. Tony looked over at her before his eyes returned from the road, pulling onto a side road lined with trees.

“Heard you saved the world. Makes you a superhero in my book,” Tony replies, and Daisy swallows hard. “I also heard you lost a lot.”

Daisy doesn’t answer, but her gaze drops to her hands, balled in the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

“He died because he loved me,” she mumbles after a moment, and she doesn’t look up, but she can feel the way Tony looks at her. “Everyone I love dies. Or turns out to be something they’re not.”

“I haven’t spoken to the woman I love in over six months,” Tony starts after a moment, and that gets Daisy to look up at him. “We had a fight, and she left. Won’t take my calls, won’t read my emails- wouldn’t open the door when I stood outside her house. I love her more than I’ve ever loved anyone- than I’ll ever love myself.”

“You mean Pepper Potts,” Daisy says, and Tony nods.

“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” his voice is earnest and honest, the slightest tremor to it. “Much like your Lincoln, I’m assuming.”

Daisy nods jerkily, swallowing hard.

“He was a good man,” she whispers, voice shaking. “And he didn’t deserve this. He should be here. Not me.”

“I think Agent May would disagree,” Tony replies, and Daisy closes her eyes as her lower lip trembles. “She seems pretty damn fond of you, Daisy. And I think losing you would break her heart.”

“She has Coulson,” Daisy argues. “And Jemma, and Fitz. They wouldn’t even notice.”

“I just met you, and I already know that’s not true,” Tony counters. “No one calls the Avengers in for someone they wouldn’t notice were gone.”

Daisy swallows, ducking her head. “She deserves something better than me.”

Tony turns, pulling a likely-illegal-U-turn and heading back to the May house.

“I don’t think that’s how she sees it,” Tony tells her softly. “And I think it hurts her a lot more than you think it does, to hear how much pain you’re in and know that she can’t help you.”

Daisy lets out a shuddering breath, clenching her fists in her lap and staring out the window as Tony drives.

“I don’t deserve to be helped,” she admits in a soft voice- so soft Tony barely hears it. But it’s there, tangible and large between them, and the look he gives her is etched in sadness.

“Yes you do,” he replies, reaching over to gently touch her knee. “I wish you could see it like everyone else does.”

The fact that they both know she doesn’t believe him sits heavily in the recycled air of the car.


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanda tries to help Daisy open up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for how long there was between chapters, and this isn't a very long chapter to make up for such a long wait, but I promise there is more to come, and some serious Melinda/Daisy interactions in the next few chapters. Thank you so much for sticking with this story and me, and hopefully the wait won't be quite as long for the next one!

When they get back from their drive, Tony goes to fix the lawn mower Lian had been complaining about while Daisy pours herself another mug of coffee.

She can hear the chatter of conversation in the next room- Natasha asking Steve to pass her something, Bruce and Sam talking about something on the jet. Daisy closes her eyes, letting the noise wash over her; beneath it she could feel the vibrations of heartbeats, and under that the natural vibration of the earth.

It was easier to hear out here- in the city, there was so much excess _noise_ \- cars and televisions and radios and so many people. But it was so open here- Daisy looked out the window at the sheer amount of green surrounding her. It was so peaceful- it felt wrong to be here, tarnishing it with her bloodied hands.

“Stop,” comes a gentle voice, and Daisy’s head shoots up. Wanda is leaning against the doorframe, a sad little smile twisting her lips. “Those thoughts will not help.”

“How can you-”

“Your face is easy to read,” the older girl tells her, almost amused. “Your May said you were beating yourself up- it’s quite obvious. You carry a lot of pain.”

Daisy shrugs.

“If I don’t, I think I’d break in half,” she confesses in an offhand manner, and Wanda’s eyebrows contract. “It’s easier, to just try to live with it.”

“That is never easier,” Wanda tells her quietly. She contemplates Daisy for a moment before lifting a hand and beckoning. “Come with me, Agent Johnson.”

Wanda leads her through the front door, and together they round the house until they could walk across the sprawling backyard.

“I lost my brother,” Wanda says once they’ve walked nearly halfway down the yard. Daisy looks at her, mouth opening to apologize, but Wanda shakes her head. “He was being a hero- in Sokovia. But when he died…I felt like part of me had died. Part of me still feels that way.”

The girl in red suddenly looks sadder than Daisy could ever remember seeing her on television, and she follows Wanda down a path to even more fields. Lian had told her she owned a lot of land, but- it still took her breath away to see it all.

“When Pietro died, I…I kept my anger inside,” Wanda starts quietly, and red sparks flicker at her fingertips. “It swelled and grew and changed- changed how I reacted to things, how I experienced my emotions. It became dangerous- something _else_ inside me. It was no longer grief. It was rage.”

At that, Wanda let an explosion of light come from her hands- she aimed it out at the empty field, red fire sweeping the plain. Daisy gasped, watching it dance in the sunlight. Eventually Wanda straightened, panting as she extinguished the fire.

“If you let your grief ferment, it won’t be grief anymore,” she tells Daisy, swallowing. “So- let it out.”

Daisy looked at her, confused, and Wanda gestured to the open field. “Let it out, Agent Johnson.”

Realization dawns on Daisy just as the vibrations of the earth become more visible before her eyes- she can see the fault lines beneath their feet. The ground around them begins to shake, and Daisy pressed her eyes shut, holding them tightly as she feels the quake swell inside her.

She directs her hands upwards, trying not to damage the plain, and lets the sensations inside of her loose. The intensity of it rattles her bones, and her lips part in a pained cry. It’s overwhelming, and the loss of Lincoln feels fresh and raw and she- she can’t do this, can’t let it go. If she lets it go she’ll be hollow and she can’t- she has nothing to fill that void.

Daisy cuts the feeling short, stopping the quake and dropping to her knees, panting. She quickly bottles up the feeling, swallowing hard, feeling her heart hammering in her chest.

“I can’t,” she whispers, shaking her head and horrified at the tears welling in her eyes. “I can’t let it go.”

“Okay,” Wanda assures her softly, sinking to her knees beside Daisy. She touches her shoulder gently, gauging her response, but she squeezes firmly. “It’s okay, Daisy.”

“It’s not,” Daisy whispers, pressing her palms into her eyes and heaving a sob, pressing her elbows to her thighs. “It’s not okay.”

Wanda squeezes her shoulder tighter, and Daisy cries into her palms.

_

Melinda is helping her mother set the table when Daisy and Wanda return- they’d been out most of the day after Daisy had come back from her drive with Tony.

She hoped this was helping. She hoped this had been the right call- to bring in people Daisy didn’t really know, to help her with trauma even Melinda couldn’t help with.

She wanted Daisy to feel supported in a way she hadn’t after Bahrain- in a way she hadn’t _allowed_ after Bahrain.

“I need a beer,” she looks up at Daisy’s voice- can see the signs she’d cried recently on her face, but she doesn’t make a comment.

“Your favorite is on the top shelf, in the back,” Melinda tells her, and Daisy pauses, looking at her.

“My favorite beer is from Canada,” she says slowly, and Melinda shrugged.

“And the Avengers brought a jet with them,” she answers. She’d needed something to do with her day, and she’d missed flying. Nat had gone with her, and they’d picked up a few of Daisy’s favorite things- and a few of Nat’s.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Daisy started, and Melinda hushed her, handing her a banana.

“I wanted to. Eat that. Dinner should be ready in a little while,” she tells her, and Daisy simply nods, looking at her with an unreadable expression.

Maria helps her, and soon enough the entire group is settled around the long dinner table, filling their plates. How her mother had managed to cook so much food, Melinda will never quite understand, but Steve and Thor sing their praises to her, and she merely smiles.

Tony starts cracking jokes, and Clint starts trying to guess the punchlines before he says them- Sam joins in, and they even get Daisy to laugh at a few as she nurses her beer and picks at her food.

Melinda can tell she hasn’t eaten enough and had one to many beers when her laughter turns to giggles, and with a quick look shared between Maria and Natasha, they convince her to go upstairs to lie down. Melinda rubs at the bridge of her nose with a sigh, and her mother presses her palm between her shoulder blades.

She looks up, giving her mom a soft smile, and Lian begins to clear the table- Thor, Bruce, and Tony jump to help her, and she’s alone for a moment before Wanda slides into the seat beside her. She looks at her for a moment, curious, before she speaks.

“Everyone leaves,” Wanda says softly, looking up at her with knit eyebrows. “In your dreams- everyone leaves.”

Melinda drops her gaze to her hands, feeling a lump grow in her throat. She’d forgotten about that aspect of Wanda’s powers.

“Those are the kind nightmares,” she tells the younger woman, whose face only grows sadder. “It’s been a long time since I had peaceful sleep. It’s harder, now that I’m sleeping alone again.”

“Because your Agent Coulson is not here,” Wanda clarifies, and Melinda nods, lips curling into a smile. “Agent Hill told me about him. She said he died.”

“He did. He came back,” Melinda answered with a soft laugh, shrugging. “So have I. We’re quite a pair.”

“But you love him,” Wanda says, looking at her carefully, and Melinda softens, nodding.

“I do, very much so.”

Wanda smiles at that, squeezing Melinda’s forearm, cool rings pressing to her skin.

“Perhaps you’ll have good dreams tonight,” she whispers, leaning in close conspiratorially, and Melinda can’t help but smile as Wanda walks away to chat with Sam.

Steve sits down in Wanda’s vacant seat, offering her a beer. Melinda took it with a smile, clinking their bottles together before she takes a swig. Steve leans on one elbow, giving her a slow smile, eyebrows crinkling as he nudges her.

“So. Tell me how Phil has been.”


End file.
